This and That

Hello!  ¡Hola!  I'm having another work day trip this week.  However, I feel blessed to have had time to spend some time in my office/art studio.

Numbers

I like both brights & pastels, because they are all colors in God's creation.

Alphabet, Leaves, & Designer Paper

#646

For my first project, I have a trifold ATC card, commemorating "The story of Creation", in Genesis.  The story illustrates God's omnipotence, emphasizing that everything he made is good, and highlights the responsibility humans have to care for creation.  Hence, in my ATC I Zentangled designs to represent earth, water, and air, and drew Kawaii style animals that live there - a lion, whale shark, and white homing pigeon.  My materials include a repurposed Starbucks gift card holder; Desecraft Watercolor Flora prints; white cardstock; a Kscraft ATC die; a Unicraftale Stamps die; a Pentel Brush Sign Pen; Mont Marte brush pens; Holz-Natur colored pencils; a Funcils white oil marker; a typewriter numbers stamp set; a Dymo label maker; Bomichi quote stickers; and a Sizzix Tim Holtz Garden Greens Bigz Die.

I was featured on Face Sampler.

WOYWW 882/102

FFO 5/1/2026

Next, I have a postcard inspired by Sunday Postcard Art's theme, Beltane, the Gaelic May Day celebration.  I'm not very familiar with it, so I chose "Cinco de Mayo," another May celebration.  In 1861, Benito Juárez (See Portrait) was elected president of Mexico during a tumultuous period marked by financial instability.  Since Mexico couldn't pay its debts, Juarez suspended foreign payments, including those to France.  So on May 5, 1862, Mexico faced the French forces led by Napoleon III. The Mexican army, under General Ignacio Zaragoza, achieved a surprising victory at the Battle of Puebla, which became a symbol of Mexican resistance against foreign domination. Although not a decisive turning point in the war, it bolstered Mexican morale.

There are 2 reasons Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the USA.  First of all, Zaragoza was born in the Mexican province of Texas, in the village of Bahía del Espíritu Santo, now Goliad, Texas, on March 24, 1829.  Secondly, Napoleon III goal was also to aid the Confederacy in its war against the United States Government.  For this reason, California Latinos had raised money and troops to support both Mexico’s fight against Napoleon III’s intervention and the Union’s cause. When they learned of Zaragoza’s May 5th victory, they celebrated with the renewed hope that freedom would prevail over slavery and tyranny.  Since 1863, California Latinos have celebrated Cinco de Mayo.  The holiday spread from the West to other states after World War II, but it did not become the cross-cultural festivity of today until beer companies commercialized it in the 1980s.

Weeks-750-751

Sunday Best #479

Last, but not least, I have a photograph I took while on the road back from my work trip last week.  There was a spray of sun rays shinning down through the clouds, that was simply Heavenly.  I didn't quite capture it in my picture, but I do like the sky view.  It also believe it illustrates the Revelation 4:11 scripture, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  Amen!  I am also submitting this to Mosaic #186.

Thanks for visiting!  ¡Gracias por su visita!  I hope you'll start following my blog, and leave a comment too.

Shalom,

Arnoldo+